This invention relates to a firestarter with improved burning properties and a method of making the same.
Firestarters formed from wax and wood particles are known. In one such type of firestarter, a generally rectangular block is placed below a quantity of material to be burned, such as charcoal or wood, and is ignited using a match or other flame source. The wax and wood particles burn to ignite the charcoal or wood. While this type of firestarter generally functions to ignite such material, a relatively large quantity of firestarter material must be used to generate a sufficiently intense flame for a long enough period of time to ignite the material to be burned.
Another type of firestarter consists of a ring-shaped mass of combustible material having integrally formed spacers for supporting the mass material above a supporting surface, such as the floor of a fireplace. The ring-shaped mass of material consists of a series of inverted frusto-conical sections interconnected by a series of inverted triangular connecting sections, all of which are formed of a solidified wax and wood mixture. The firestarter further includes a substantially central aperture partially defined by the intersection of the arcuate upper inner edges of the frusto-conical sections with the generally flat upper surface of the firestarter. Due to the thickness of the material adjacent the inner edges of the frusto-conical sections, it is difficult to S ignite in the firestarter along these inner edges of the frusto-conical sections.
It is also known in the prior art to provide a metal platform onto which wood chips are placed. The wood chips are coated with wax or are impregnated with a combustible fuel. The platform is provided with openings and is placed on the supporting surface, such as the floor of a fireplace. The chips are ignited by a user and generate flames which, in turn, ignite the fireplace logs. However, it has been found that the intensity of the flames generated by burning of the chips is often insufficient to ignite the fireplace logs. Further, since a separate metal platform is required to facilitate the burning of the chips, the platform must be recovered from the ashes before subsequent reuse to ignite a new fire.
Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a firestarter which is simple in its operation and yet provides satisfactory performance in igniting combustible materials such as charcoal and logs.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a method of making a firestarter which is relatively simple and inexpensive.
It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a firestarter which ignites easily and generates a flame of sufficient intensity for a long enough period of time to ignite the material to be burned.
It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a firestarter which overcomes some of the problems and shortcomings of the devices in the prior art.
In accordance with the present invention, a firestarting device is provided. The firestarting device includes an ignition ring formed from a mass of combustible material and having a predetermined thickness. The ignition ring defines an aperture therethrough having a width greater than the thickness of the ignition ring. A support structure formed from the mass of combustible material supports the ignition ring above a supporting surface.
The mass of combustible material is approximately 30% by weight of sawdust. In a preferred embodiment, the sawdust is finer than 60 mesh.
The support structure defines an airgap in communication with the aperture for providing the flow of air through the aperture during combustion of the mass of combustible material. The support structure includes first and second legs. The legs partially define a generally conical central chamber communicating with the aperture. The support structure is interconnected to the ignition ring by a body portion formed from the mass of combustible material.
The body portion includes a generally planar upper surface. The generally planer upper surface of the body portion is coplanar with an upper face of the ignition ring. The ignition ring also includes a generally lower face parallel to the upper surface of a body portion. The upper face and the lower face of an ignition ring define the thickness of the ignition ring.
The firestarting device may also include a connection structure formed from the mass of combustible material for interconnecting the first and second legs. The connection structure includes a generally arcuate edge which partially defines the air gap in the support structure. It is also contemplated that the body portion define a generally circular outer edge. An arcuate outer surface depends from the outer edge at an angle less than 180.degree..
In accordance with a still further aspects of the present invention, a method is provided for forming a firestarter. The method includes the steps of forming a plurality of pellets from a combustible material. Depositing the pellets in a mold and compressing the pellets in the mold to a predetermined shape.
The method may also include the step of mixing wax and wood particles to form the combustible material. It is contemplated that the combustible material includes approximately 30% by weight of wood particles. It is further contemplated that the wood particles be finer than 55 mesh, and preferably equal to 60 mesh.
In order to compress the pellets in the mold to form a predetermined shape, the pellets are subjected to pressure greater than 1000 psi.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, a device for starting fires is provided. The device includes a mass of combustible material formed partially from wood particles finer than 55 mesh, and preferably equal to 60 mesh. A support structure supports the mass on a supporting surface.
The combustible material may partially formed from wax. However, it is preferred that the combustible material be approximately 30% by weight of wood particles finer than 55 mesh.
The device may further include an ignition ring formed from the mass of combustible material. An ignition ring has a predetermined thickness and defines an aperture therethrough having a width greater than the thickness of the ignition ring.
A support structure defines an air gap in communication with the aperture for providing the flow of air to the aperture during combustion of the mass of combustible material.
It is further contemplated that the mass of combustible material include a generally flat upper surface and a generally circular outer edge depending from the upper surface at an acute angle thereto. An oblique outer surface extends from the outer edge at an angle less than 180.degree..